RACHUI-RACHUY-RACHUIG FAMILIES

 

THE LOOSENED TIES REUNITED

ALMOST 150 YEARS LATER

 

“Linger awhile and walk with me into the shadowy mist that was yesterday. Stroll across the faded pages of history and from or hardships learn the way of a better life. Pass me not for I am the spirit of your ancestors. In your veins flow my blood, and the blood of my father’s.  Linger awhile, if only for a moment and through your thoughts I will know that I am remembered.” Unknown

 

The map below denotes to you where our journal begins that according to our latest research on these named families.  It does so with the birth of Johann A. and August Wilhelm Rachuy. It is thought by some of the descendants that the family was a part of the Protestant French Huguenot removal by Royal Edict, from France to Prussia in the 1600th and 1700th centuries.. So these ties to Prussia are where we begin our journal.

 

A map from the Poznan Project is shown to locate the places as well as a photo of early buildings that are supposedly still standing.  In the year 1408, the area was known as Venecia. The topography was pleasant with lakes and meadows; a serene surroundings. 

 

 

 

 

 

August Wilhelm and Henrietta Rachuy/Rachuig history

 

For the introduction, please meet my mother and father. My father Herbert Albert Rachuig was born and reared in the Clifton, Bosque Co. TX area. Mother, Mamie Adams, was the daughter of P.W. and Rebecca Louisa Myers Adams born and raised in Chilton, Falls Co. TX. Dad quit school when he turned seventeen, and told his mother that now he had to “start teaching the teacher ”, it was time for him to quit.

 

“Herb”, as known by his family, went to work for Humble Pipe Line Co., a subsidiary of Humble Oil Co. At that time, he worked out of the Pendale station just south of Clifton. His starting position was a “pipeliner”, which was to walk the length of pipeline from one destination to another one. This trek was from Pendale to the Chilton station in Falls Co. His future brother-in-law, Newton Bonnard Morton, worked at Chilton station, and lived on the property. Mamie visited her sister, Bess, often, and the two eventually met and married some two years later..

 

Herb’s grandfather was August Wilhelm Rachuy, [later, the name was changed to Rachuig spelling.] August Wilhelm was born in Gonzawo, KRS Znin, Posen [Prussia]. What is now known is that he had an older brother Johann Rachuy, who married Rosalie Von Koschutzky [Kosicka] whose family was of “landed gentry”. Most of this couple’s line remained in Prussia.  However, there were some to venture on to America.

 

At the age of 24, August Wilhelm, farmer, immigrated alone to America in December 1866 from Bremen Germany, on the sailing vessel, Barque Gessner, which landed in January 1867.

 

 

Having family that immigrated to Washington Co. TX earlier, he headed there. Whether August knew Henrietta Bernhardt back home in Prussia is not known, but the couple married in Brenham, Washington Co. TX on August 15, 1868.

 

Henrietta had come at the age of 16 to America with her family, the Bernhardt’s on a sailing vessel also. This particular Bernhardt family had come two years earlier and had settled in the same area that August Wilhelm headed.

 

The August Wilhelm and Henriette family remained at Greenvine, Washington Co. TX, area of the Fayette Co. line for about 12 years and then moved to McLennan Co. TX, where August W. rented and farmed for one year, then moved on to near Clifton of Bosque Co. TX

 

Children born in Washington Co. were:

1. Julius Herman [Herb’s father] b. 7-10-1869 d. 8-14-1958

2. Johanna Maria b. 4-1-1871 d. 2-14-1968         

3. Helene Auguste b. 8-18-18772 d. 11-22-1874 in Washington Co. TX

4. August Wilhelm b. 8-18-1872 d. 8-22-1945

5. Frederick Julius b. 9-13-1876 d. 3-24-1899

6. Alvina Amelia b. 4-2-1878 d. 7-15-1960

7. Richard Henry [Rich] 2-24-1880 d. 6-9-1880

8. Rudolph Otto [Rube] b. 11-10-1881 d. 8-8-1965

 

These children were probably born in Bosque Co.

9. Gustav Adolph b. 11-21-1883 d. 5-18-1932 [possibly born in McLennan Co. TX]

10. Lydia Martha b. 9-26-1886 d. 2-11-1980

 

The family made another move to the east of the Bosque River at Clifton, described as low, boggy and damp, according to a family history written by son Richard Rachuig.

 

Julius Herman married Selma Schulz, the daughter of Tobias and Wilhelmina Unger/Hunger of Annaberg, Grottendorf, Saxony. The Schulz family came to America in 1880’s, and lived for a time near the area of August Rachuy and family in the Burton, Fayette Co. TX. A few years later, the Schulz’s moved on to area of Hog Creek, south of Clifton, and then in 1900 built their home in the Norse Community west of Clifton. The home is still standing and is designated with a historical marker. Tobias and Wihelmina lived and reared their family until their demise. Some of the property is still held in the family of H.V. Schulz, a grandson.

 

Children are:

 

  1. Selma Martha b. 1893 d. 1902
  2. Walter Alfred b. 11-20-1895 d. 4-11-19969
  3. Hildegard Martha b. 4-25-1898 d. May 1988
  4. Edgar Herman b. 4-11-1903 d. 10-19-1995
  5. Herbert Albert b. 4-18-19906 d. 4-26-1951
  6. Evelyn Eleanor b. 12-23-1915 d. 2004
  7.  

 

Other names associated with the August Rachuig families are Eckhardt, Olson, Schminke, Lange, Bernhardt, Werner, Krueger, Albrecht and Conrad.

 

Johann Rachuy , the brother of August Wilhelm family line.

 

Johann b. 12-2-1833 in Dziadkowo, KRS Gnesen d. 1-10-1882 Gonsawa m. Rosalie von Koschutzky b. 1833 in Jablone d. 1-18-1882 Gonsawa.

 

Children are:

  1. Otto Johann Rachuy b. 6-24-1862 Venetia KRS Znin Posen Prussia d. 3-8-1929 Hamburg Germany
  2. Emilie Rachuy b. 7-10-1860 Venetia Krs Znin Posen, Prussia d. 5-15-1952 Clifton, Bosque Co. TX
  3. Franz Rachuy b 1869 Venetia Drs Znin Posen, Prussia d. 1890 Clifton, Bosque Co. TX
  4. Theodor Rachuy  b. 2-22-1867 Venetia Krs Znin Posen, Prussia d. 9-10-1923 Marlin, Falls Co. TX m. Maria/Marie Andrasimier/[Andraschewz]b. 7-31-1871 d. 7-31-1953 Marlin, Falls Co.

 

Theodor Rachuy Family History.

 

Theodor Rachuy [Rachui] came to America and landed at Galveston TX in 1882, the son of brother Johann to August Wilhelm in Clifton. In looking at father Johann and mother Rosalie death dates so very close in the same month and year, perhaps from a common disease of the time. Could it be that Theodor felt he needed to start a new life in America?   Theodor bought property in Galveston Co., where he settled for about 10 years, according to a deed held in the family today. Also, Theodor made himself an “indentured servant” to an unknown, in order to have his Maria, his future wife, have paid passage to Texas.  [Family history information]

 

Later, the families moved north to Falls Co. about the same time that Theodor and Maria moved, were Frederich Kurz and John Rueter and most likely the Schroeder/Schrader families also. Kruz and Rueter were on the charter membership of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Falls Co. TX. when it was established in1894.

 

            Their children of Theodor and Maria/Mary are:

 

1.  Johann b. 5-22-1886 TX d. 3-3-1965 Marlin, Falls Co. TX m. Hedwig Grochoske

            2.  Oscar Otto b. 11-6-1889 d. 10-3-1935 Marlin, Falls Co. TX m. Menna, Minnie Schroeder

3.  Reinhold  b. ? d. in WW I buried in France American Cemetery

4.  Gertrud b. 8-1897 d. 9-13-1934 m.

5.  Olga b. 8-1892 d. 9-26-1921

6.  Berthold b. 5-9-1900 Marlin, Falls Co. TX d. 11-1-1934 Marlin, Falls. Co. TX

 

These families arrived in the area northeast of Marlin, Falls Co. Texas in about 1892. Shortly after arriving, the families helped to organize a school, as well as the Church, St. Paul’s Evangelical and Reformed Church. The area was called the St. Paul’s Community. Many of Theodor’s family are interred in the cemetery adjacent to the church.

 

Picture of Dedication Day of St. Paul’s October 1894.  Theodor Rachuy, Frederich Kurz and John Rueter

were on the charter membership of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Falls Co. TX. in 1894.

 

Some names associated with this line of Theodor are Lessman, Schroeder, Groshoske, Kalscheuer, Stolz, Zost, Reinke, Reuter, Grams, Drews, Abels, and Neumann.

 

Also to arrive later was a sister of Theodor, Emily Rachuy.  She may have lived in Falls Co. for a time before she married Karl Schminke, and moved to Clifton, Bosque Co.TX . The couple lived in Clifton for the rest of their lives and are buried in Oswald Cemetery, north of Clifton as most of their children.

 

          Emily and Karl Schminke children are:

 

1.      Otto Frank b. 1893 d.1964

2.      Clara b. 6-7-1895 d. 1-28-1992

3.      Carl Jr. b. 1897 d. 1971

4.      Louise b. 1-23-1898 d. 8-23-1988

5.      Elvira “Ella” b. 8-10-1899 d. 4-23-1987

6.      Friedrich b. 1893 d. 1919

7.      Wilhelm F. 9-13-1903-9-16-1921

 

Franz Rachuy, Emily’s brother, died in 1890 in Clifton Bosque Co. TX. No further information is known about on him.

 

Henrette Rachui Reinke Kurz/Kurtz

 

Another Rachuy/Rachui that could be connected is Henrette Rachui Reinke Kurtz born in Prussia, and first found with husband Christoph in 1860 in Washington Co. TX., along with a son, Frederick The family arrived in 1860 on the vessel Fortuna, landing in Galveston, Co. TX. 

 

In 1865 Civil War records of the NARA shows that Christoph was a musician in the Civil War, attached to the famous Waul’s Legion of the Gonzales Co. TX area. [This may or may not be connected to family] About 1870, Christoph died in Washington Co., and Henrette married Frederich Gottfried Kurtz shown in Washington Co. as being a trustee to the Sylvester Church NW of Brenham.

 

Known children of Christoph and Henretta Reinke/Renicke/Ranke/Rinecke are:

 

  1. Frederick b. Posen Germany d.
  2. Auguste b. 4-13-1863 d. ? married John Reuter, as the family moved with Henrette, her mother and family.

The Reuter family is also buried in the St. Paul’s cemetery.

 

One child was born to Frederich Gottlieb Kurtz and unknown 1st wife.

  1. Ferdinand b. 1-13-1860 Germany d. 12-4- 1942 Marlin, Falls Co. TX

 

Auguste and John Reuter children are:

 

  1. Henry F. b. 2-27-1892 b. 11-19-1952
  2. Albert J. b. Nov 1888
  3. Mary b. July 1892
  4. Bertha b. May 1897
  5. Henrietta

 

The Johann A. Rachui Family

 

This family has not been connected but by virtue of the name Rachui and other given names. The premise is there, but not documented.

 

Here in Carmine, Fayette Co. at La Bahia Prairie lived the family of Johann A. Rachui and wife Amelia Anna nee Tonn Harzke, who could possibly be a cousin or an uncle of August Wilhelm. Johann and Amelia came to America about mid 1850’s.

 

Children are:

  1. Amelia 1848 Posen, Prussia [step child of Amelia Anna nee Tonn Harske]
  2. Heinrich [Henry] b. 11-14-1849 Posen Prussia d. 3-31-1899 [child of Amelia nee Tonn Harzke]
  3. Justina b. 1853 Prussia
  4. Gustar [Gus] 7-17-1853 Prussia d. 10-25-1930 La Bahia Cem, Carmine TX
  5. Wilhelm b. 12-9-1856 Prussia d. 9-12-1868 Carmine, Fayette Co. TX
  6. Carl A. [Charles] b.1-28-1859 TX d. 8-14-1942
  7. Ernestine b. July 17, 1853 d. July 6, 1935

 

Some of the names associated with the Johann A. Rachui family are Wolters, Althaus, Fischer, Klatt, Kuehn, Fuchs, Schuhmann

 

This is a digital copy of the name Rachuy in German script. See how the possibility arises to make the last ending “g”. From the Barque Gessner original documents, August Wilhelm’s last name was spelled Rachuy. Some records from the Lutheran church in Washington County, Texas records the name with the “uy”, and various other spellings as well. [It is a difficult name to research.

 

 

 

If anyone is interested in knowing more, or perhaps think you may be connected or related by marriage, please contact me. We would welcome your inquiry and any corrections to above information.

 

Mayme Rachuig Hause